Robert randall



(No Model.)

R. RANDALL.

FRUIT PRESS.

Patented Deo. 9, 1890.

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lOlllClt'l JtANDALL, OF NlillVARK, lElV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO lIIHSELF, JAMES l). BALLOU, AND ERNEST VAN PEIRSON, (,)F SAME PLACE.

FRUIT-PRESS.

SPECIFl'CATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,494, dated December 9, 1890.

Application filed Marel; 26, 1890.

To @ZZ whom it Amay concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT RANDALL, of Newark, in the county of XVayne and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Lever Press, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

M y invemion relates to a lever-press adapted more especially for operation by hand for pressing dried fruits, meats, or other sub- 1o stances or merchandise when packing them for market, and adapted also for pressing juices from fresh fruits; and the invention has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive, efiieient, and easily-operated press of this character.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts of the lever-press, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the iigures.

Figure l is a side elevation of my improved lever-press with the box or package filled thereby and the auxiliary frame or Vhopper shown in longitudinal vertical section, the lever being down in seltlocking position; and Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section, taken 3o on the line 9c in Fig. l.

rlhe pivoted operating-lever A of the improved press is preferably made of wood, and is provided with an anti friction presser roller or wheel B, which is suitably journaled on or by a suitable axle-pin b to and between a pair of metal arms or plates C C, secured to opposite sides of the lever. The roller is mounted in the plates C, so that its axle Z) will not be in vertical alignment with the pivot ce of the lever when said lever is in a horizontal position. The lever is journaled by a pin or bolt o. to and between the ends of a pair of brackets or frames D l), which are fixed to opposite faces of a suitable standard or support E, which may be a portion of the frame of a barn or other building, or may be a separate post set up between the floor and ceiling of a room, or may be arranged in any other suitable manner. l show the post set o up on a base or foundation F, which may be the floor of a building or any suitable plat- Serial No. 3451326. (No ruodeL form laid thereon, or may be any other support suitable for sustaining a box or package G, which is to be lled or packed with dried fruits or other merchandise, or may be the case or body of a press adapted to receive fruits the juices of which are to be pressed out by the operation of the lever-roller devlce.

The box or package G shown is of general 6o rectangular form of the class commonly used for packing dried fruits for market, and it is surmounted by a removable frame l1, which has a band or depending flanges 71., which hold it fairly on the box, and constitutes ahopper of proper height to be filled to the top and then contain the right quantity of fruit t0 be forced down into and till the box or package G, ready to receive its cover. Any ordinary platen or follower I is placed on the fruit or 7o substance in the hopper Il and receives the pressure of the lever-roller B as the fruit is forced down or packed by the lever. Oppoposite cleats g g are preferably secured to the floor or foundation F to receive and steady 7 5 the box G between them.

Fig. 2 of the drawings more particularly shows that the upper parts of the lever-roller bearing arms or plates C C are provided with inwardlyprojecting lugs or shoulders c C, SO which are preferably fitted beneath the lever A and strengthen it nextits pivot or fulcrum bolt or pin a and relieve the front-plate holding bolt or pin d of strains resulting from the back pressure of the lever-roller as it op- 35 crates on the follower. Itwill also be noticed that the upper ends of the arms or plates C C extend upward at opposite faces of the lever A, where its fulerum pin or bolt a passes through. Hence the metal of the bearingplates substantially re-enforces the wooden end of the lever A against. wear or splitting by the fuleru1n-pin.

My leverpress is operated in the following manner: After the leverA islifted sufciently to allow its roller B to clear the filled box and hopper G 1I, which are pushed in beneath it between the guides g g and against the post E, the lever will be lowered to bring the roller B down onto the follower I, then in the hopper IOO ll on top of the fruit or substance to be pressed, and as the lever descends the roller B will run with comparatively little friction along over the topof the follower, While bearing on it with a gradually-increasing force until the roller-axle b is directly below the leverfulorum pin a', at which time the maximum pressure of the lever on the follower is exerted. The lever is so proportioned that lts free end will not rstrike the floor F or any suitable stop thereon until the roller-axle Zr passes or retreats beyond a vertical line, which Would bisect the lever fulcrum-pin ct, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Hence as the level' strikes the stop it is locked automatically in a manner preventing expansion of the pressed material, which may thus.

some distance from the support, so that the tion to receive pressure and provision made for holding the lever up in the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, so as to be out of the way. This is accomplished simply by turning it upon its pivot until its end rests against the support.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- In a press of the character described, the combination, with a support, of brackets D, secured to and projecting from the support, the lever A, pivoted between the brackets and provided With the downwardly-extending plates C at its pivoted end, and the roller B, journaled between the `plates C, the axle of the roller being out of alignment with the pivot of the lever When said lever is in a horizontal position, substantially as herein shown and described.

ROBERT RANDALL.

lVitnesses:

W. H. HUNT, L. G. MA'rTlsoN.

box or package can be readily placed in posi- 

